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Sustainability in FBDGs:The Dutch approach

Dr.ir. Corné van Dooren

Twitter: @DuurzaamEten

Mail: dooren@voedingscentrum.nl

Webinar NNR, 24 September 2020

How to incorporatesustainability into FBDG?

4 approaches

(but 1st an introduction)

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European advices on sustainable diets

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2009

20102011

2012

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EC: Joint Research Centre database (2019)

FENS Task Force: Copenhagen (2018) – Dublin (2019)

The Task Force … concluded that environmental aspects should be included in the

future conceptual framework for FBDG. A change in terminology to sustainable

FDBG (SFBDG) could reflect this.

… further work needs to be done exploring current practice, existing

methodologies, and the future prospects for incorporating other relevant

dimensions into a future FENS conceptual framework for SFBDG in Europe and

working groups were formed to address that.

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Approach 1:

Giving additional

advices and rules

1. Additionalrules

2.

3.

4.

Nordic countries: 5 recommendations (2012)

To reach a more sustainable

diet requires more

plantbased foods and less

animal-based food.

1. choosing primarily meat and fish

with low environmental impact;

2. eating more dried beans, peas,

lentils, and cereals;

3. choosing mainly field vegetables,

root vegetables, potatoes, fruits,

and berries that store well;

4. choosing perishable products when

they are in season;

5. and minimizing waste.

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Finland (2014)

Healthy choices, such as plant-based and less

red meat are preferable for sustainability

reasons.

Reduce food waste.

Weight control for sustainability reasons:

higher energy needs for overweight people.

Sweden (2015): “Find your way to eat greener, not too much and be active.”

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SDG

Messages

Fin

land

Sw

eden

Neth

erl

ands

UK

Germ

any

Belg

ium

Est

onia

13less animal-based, more plant-based v v v v v

less meat total v v v v

less red/ processed meat v v v v

14 certified fish v v v v v

less dairy/ substitutes v v v

more pulses v v v v v

6 drink tap water v v v v

less ultra-processed foods v

3 more vegetables and fruits v v v v v v

seasonal vegetables v v v v v v v

local products v v v v

15 certified/ organic/ fair v v v v v

12 less food waste v v v v

(See also Gonzalez Fischer & Garnett 2016; Mason & Lang, 2017)

Netherlands (2016): 7 rules to eatmore sustainable

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Other examples

UK (2016): Eatwell Guide Canada (2019)USDA report (2015)

rejected

Sustainable Healthy Diets: new definition WHO/FAO (2019)

“Sustainable Healthy Diets are dietary

patterns that promote all dimensions of

individuals’ health and wellbeing; have low

environmental pressure and impact; are

accessible, affordable, safe and equitable;

and are culturally acceptable.

…. And support the preservation of

biodiversity and planetary health.”

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Approach 2:

Demonstrate synergies1. Additional

rules

2. Demonstrate

synergies

3.

4.

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Double Pyramid (Italy, 2010): The lower the footprint, The more preferred

Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition

(Buchner B. et al., 2010)

Guidelines for a healthy diet: the ecological perspective (2011)

“In general terms, a shift from the usual diet towards

that described in the Guidelines for a healthy diet is good

not only for health, but would also seem to be beneficial

in terms of land use and greenhouse gas emissions.”

(Health Council, 2011)

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4 advices (Health Council, 2011) Health EcologicalSustainability

Eat a less animal-based and more plant-based diet: Containing fewer meat and dairy products and more whole grain products, legumes, vegetables, fruit, and plant-derived meat substitutes.

+ ++

The reduction of energy intake for those with an excessive body weight, in particular by eating fewer non-basic foods, such as sugary drinks, sweets, cakes and snacks.

++ +

Reducing food waste. +/- ++Eat fish twice a week, including one portion of oily fish. Even though the indications are that a single portion of (oily) fish per week is enough to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases, this recommendation is ecologically detrimental -> Reformulate

+ -

Dietary guidelines (2015): prevention chronic diseases

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“Follow a dietary pattern that involves eating more plant-based and less animal-based food, as recommended in the guidelines.”

Traditional diets: healthy & sustainableMediterranean, New Nordic, Low Lands (van Dooren et al. 2015)

“All of the patterns include a lot of vegetables, fruit, wholegrain

products, nuts, legumes, oils rich in cis-unsaturated fatty acids,

reduced-fat and low-fat dairy products, poultry and fish;

none include much red or processed meat, full-fat dairy products,

hard fats, salt or drinks (or other products) with added sugar; all

involve alcohol moderation.” (Health Council, 2015)

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Common ground in healthy sustainable diets: High nutrient density and low energy density.

From a health perspective WHO (2003) advise consuming nutrient dense foods within

a total diet with low (metabolic) energy density.

Nutrient density indexes summarize and aggregate densities of individual macro- and

micronutrients.

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50 �

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3 !"�� ������

2000 !"��

Sustainable Nutrient-Rich Foods index =

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SNRF-index

Nutrition Triangle Belgium (VIGL, 2017)

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Approach 3:

Optimisation modelling

1. Additionalrules

2. Demonstrate

synergies

3. Optimisation

modelling

4.

‘The Diet Problem’

For a moderately active man weighing 154 pounds, how much of each of 77 foods should be eaten on a daily basis so that the

man’s intake of nine nutrients will be at least equal to the recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) suggested by the National

Research Council in 1943, with the cost of the diet being minimal?

1943, George Stigler 1947, George Dantzig

Linear programming: Simplex method

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Looking for theoptimal ‘green’ solutions

• Constraints on nutrients (healthy)

• Constraints on environmental impact (sustainable)

• As close as possible tothe current diet

Range of diets

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Acceptability constraints versus reduction goal‘As close as possible to current diet’

(Frontiers in Nutrition, van Dooren, 2018)

52 studies (2000-2016).

12 studies that applied ecological constraints (3 with Optimeal).

Weaknesses: a small number of food items and/or nutritional constraints.

Introducing acceptability constraints is recommended (but no study has provided the

ultimate solution to calculating acceptability).

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Increase in diet studies looking at environmental and acceptability constraints

(van Dooren, 2018)

Available linear programming models Optimeal in Matlab Compiler 7.16 (Blonk

Consultants, NL).

Microdiet System, 1990 (Fletcher, UK)

spreadsheet programmes provide a simple,

free solver function for LP

Excel “Nutrisurvey” free (Briend, 2003)

SAS (Version 8.02) + Excel SOLVER developed

by Frontline Systems (Gao, 2006)

LINGO Hyper (10.0, LINDO Systems Inc., USA)

R 2012 through a GNU Linear Programming Kit

+ IpSolveAPI package (or “Rglpk”)

MS Nutrition Excel + Apps (Vieux, 2014, France)

-> FAO diet optimisation package for food

based dietary guidelines + Diet optimisation on

FAO/WHO GIFT platform data (2019)

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(Macdiarmid J. et al., 2011) WWF/ Rowett Institute

Livewell plate UK (WWF, 2011)

Goal: 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through linear programming

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Translation to the Wheel of FiveDiet optimisation modelling

Preconditions modelling

In line with dietary guidelines AND dietary reference values from

the Health Council

Minimal and maximal amounts of food groups and nutrients

Provides 100% of the essential nutrients

Provides on average 85% of kcal

Sustainable and feasible: maximal amounts of food groups

Close to the current diet of each target group

Target groups (age, gender, activity level, preference, ethnicity)

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Constraints: on products, not on impacts (GHGE, LU)Based on environmental impact & feasibility

Results of optimisation: large variation between gender and age

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Recommended daily amounts (women, 19-50 yrs)

Meets DRV’s

Educational model FBDG: Wheel of Five

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Less meat and more plants

Maximum of 500 grams of meat/week.

Maximum of 300 grams of red

meat/week.

Fish: 1x/ week (was 2x/ week).

Milk: somewhat lower recommendation

(almost equal to the actual

consumption).

More plant-based: protein sources

New: eat weekly a portion of pulses (135 g).

New: eat daily a handful of nuts (25 g).

Good vegetarian meat alternatives as option.

Wheel of Five (NL) recommends 50/50 protein

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Most options within the scope of the dietary guidelines (blue line) are more environmentally sustainable than the current diet

(van de Kamp et al. 2018; Brink et al. 2016)

Sustainable options within each group

Vegetable and fruits from the season

White meat (chicken) < red meat

Water < coffee, soft drinks, juices

Potatoes < rice

Fresh cheese < old cheese

Mackerel < tuna

Walnuts < cashew nuts

Etc.

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Menu of Tomorrow: EAT- Lancet improved (LP) (Kramer & Blonk, 2015; Natuur & Milieu)

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Menu of Tomorrow: multiple constraints(Kramer & Blonk, 2015 not published)

Future: sustainability more integrated+ more constraints = planetary boundaries

EAT Lancet (2019)

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Germany DGE (2019): start update FBDGs with optimisation modelling

Approach 4:

Theory of change:

Sustainable Development Goals

1. Additional rules

2. Demonstrate

synergies

3. Optimisation

modelling

4. SDGs as outcome

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UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030:Voedingscentrum contributes to at least 8 goals

(Scaling up nutrition.org)

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FAO workshop (16-18 december 2019)

“Technical and Advisory Group for Updating the Global Guidance for the Development/Revision of FBDGs”

Theory of Change

“A representation of how and why a

complex change process will succeed under

specific circumstances”

1. Outcomes, modeled in causal pathways

2. Interventions (activities), leading to the

relevant Outcome(s)

3. Assumptions

4. Rationales

5. Indicators

6. Narrative

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SDG’s as ultimate outcome

(Stockholm Resilience Centre)

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Netherlands

Work in progress:

In search for the next level

Review on indicators (2018)

We conclude that GHGEs and LU fulfill the selection criteria and address most of the

environmental impact of diets well.

In the future, these indicators should be supplemented with an indicator addressing

the nitrogen and phosphorous efficiency of food products.

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Expert meeting (April 2019): selecting indicators

Important indicators Comments

1. Greenhouse gas emissions Appropriate for the short time, data available

2. Land use idem

3. Water use (related to water scarcity) idem, relevant for nuts and fruits

4. Nitrogen (efficiency) Most urgent, but lack of data

5. Phosphorous

6. Soil quality & biodiversity To be developed, not yet measurable

• High synergies justify a small selection of indicators, but GHGE alone is not enough• Not achievable to prioritize or weigh the indicators

Experts: Continue with 4 main messages

1. Eat no more than you need: Skip products outside the Wheel of Five.

2. Eat less meat (and more plant-based food)

3. Choose the more sustainable options within food groups

4. Waste as least as possible food

New advices to implement:

Communicate an optimal amount of meat (1-2 times a week)

Differentiate in target groups

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Workshop Dutch Health Council (October 2019)

Try to find a good focus on the contribution of the Health Council in the sustainable

policy area.

Building blocks for future advice, summarized in a short memo for the ministry.

Resulting in small advice: looking ahead (May, 2020)

So far, the focus has been on health.

However, there is increasing attention to the

aspect of sustainability.

The Health Council has explored how the

perspectives of health and sustainability can

be integrated in nutrition advice.

A modular approach should be a priority, i.e.

a piecemeal integration of data based on

advances in knowledge.

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Questions?

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